Corporate Computing Notes

Corporate Computing Revolution

• Computers assist in bookkeeping, accounting, inventory control, customer databases, shipping control, and financial analyses.
• Networking increases information flow and reduces paperwork.

A Brief History of Computers

• Charles Babbage: Conceptualized the first computer, the 'analytical engine'.
• Colossus: First electronic, digital, programmable computer; used by British codebreakers during WWII.
• ENIAC (1946): America's first general-purpose digital electronic computer; used vacuum tubes instead of electromechanical relays.
• Transistor (1947): Invented by Bell Labs; replaced vacuum tubes, leading to smaller computers.
• Microchip: Interconnected transistors on silicon; initially hard-wired but overcame by the microprocessor.
• Intel Microprocessor: Could program a single chip to perform various tasks.
• Altair 8800 (1975): The first personal computer.
• Apple II (1977): Unveiled by Steven Jobs and Steven Wozniak.
• IBM PC (1981): Set the standard for quality with the Intel microprocessor.

Introduction to Computing

• positive effect of computers in the field of medicine was commendable.
• 1982: Time named the computer the 'Machine of the Year.'

The Information Technology Boom

• By 1984 retail sales of personal computers and software had reached $15 billion.
• Microsoft: A leading software manufacturer.
• MS-DOS and UNIX instructed the various elements of a computer system to work in unison.
• Lotus 1-2-3: A popular spreadsheet plus electronic filing system in the business market.

The Advent of Computer Viruses

• 1988: Computer viruses became a major concern.

Supercomputers

• Used for locating oil deposits, creating special effects, and designing military weapons.
• Data processing speed measured in gigaFLOPS (billions of operations per second).
• IBM: Financed parallel-processing, the use of 64 processors in tandem.
• Tianhe-2 (TH-2): The world's fastest supercomputer which is a $33.86$ Petaflop supercomputer.

Smart Phones

• First smartphone: developed by IBM and BellSouth, in 1993.
• Smartphones: Have GPS navigation, internet access document editing, and able to interpret quick response codes.
• Smartphones Advancements: high-speed mobile broadband 4G LTE internet, motion sensors, and mobile payment mechanisms.

What is a Personal Computer?

• PC: A small, relatively inexpensive computer designed for an individual user which runs the Microsoft Windows operating system.
• PC language: bit.
  • Bit: smallest unit of measurement.

Storage Capacity Indicators:

• $1/0$ = bit-smallest unit of measurement.
• $8$ bits = $1$ Byte.
• $1024$ Bytes = $1$KB (kilobyte).
• $1024$KB = $1$ MB (Megabyte).
• $1024$MB = $1$ GB (Gigabyte).
• $1024$GB = $1$TB (terabyte)

PC Hardware and Software

• Hardware: Physical parts of a computer system.
• Software: A set of instructions controlling the computer hardware.

PC Hardware

• Typical PC hardware: System Unit, keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer, audio speakers, communication devices, minor peripherals.

Internal Hardware Components

• Motherboard: Main circuit board.
• CPU: Brain of the computer; performs calculations.
• Multi-core processor: A single computing component with two or more independent actual processing units, called 'cores'.
• Memory (RAM): Temporary storage area.
• ROM: Memory permanently stores programmes used in the booting process of the computer.

Drives

• Hard Disk Drive (HDD): Secondary/permanent storage; saves programs and personal documents.
• Solid State Drive (SSD): Stores data on interconnected flash memory chips; faster and more durable than HDD's.
• CD-DVD Combo Drives: Read and write to optical disks: CD-ROM, CD-R, CD+R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R.
• PSU: 'Power Supply Unit'; converts 240V into component-friendly voltages.

Ports

• Ports: Where external devices are plugged into (e.g. printers, keyboards).
  • Common Ports:
  • PS2 Port for the mouse (green).
  • PS2 Port for the keyboard (purple).
  • Serial Ports for external devices such as PC screens and Modems.
  • USB (Universal Serial Bus).
  • HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface).
  • LAN port.
  • Audio ports.

PC Software

• System Software: low-level program that interacts with the computer at a basic level.
  • OS (Operating Software): the controlling software that determines what the computer will do and how.
  • Examples of operating systems are; Windows XP/ Vista/Windows version 7/8/10, Linux, etc.
• Application Software: Programs that perform common information processing jobs for the user.

How Hardware and Software Work Together

• Data: Any information that is entered into the PC.

The IPOS Cycle

• Input: Data that goes into the computer making use of an input devise like a keyboard, mouse or scanner.
• Processing: The computer processes this data. The processor chip interprets and executes instructions.
• Output: An output is generated.
• Storage: To store data on a storage device for later retrieval. Hard disk drives, flash drives and CDs/DVDs are used for this purpose.

Upgrading your PC

• Software upgrade: Changing a few software settings in your Operating System can make a world's difference.

Software tune-ups:

1. Disable or remove unwanted start-up programs, making use of the Task Manager
2. Clean up unnecessary system files using the Disk Clean-up program
3. Defragment and optimize your hard drives
4. Keep your PC free from viruses and malware
5. Upgrading your operating system to a newer version

Hardware upgrade

• Hardware upgrade: Cleaning the inside of your PC and the cooling fans with canned air helps to get rid of unwanted dust.
  1. Replace your HDD with an SSD
  2. Upgrade your RAM capacity
  3. Upgrade your CPU or graphics card if you are a serious gamer

Network Concepts

• Computer network: A group of two or more computing devices connected via some form of communications technology for the purpose of sharing resources.

Benefits of sharing resources:

1. Sharing files saves disk space
2. Multi-user application software enables more than one person to work with the same application simultaneously.
3. Hardware could be shared among users on the same network.

Basic network components:

• Computers (clients): Clients are computers that access and use the network and shared resources.
• Servers: Servers are computers that hold shared files, programs, and the all-important network operating system.
• Network Operating System (NOS): Network software that enables network nodes to communicate.
• Network Interface Card (NIC): A network adapter is a device that enables a computer to talk with other computers or network components over a network.
• Hub: A Hub is a device used to connect all the computers together and functions like a small distribution center.

Local Area Network (LAN)

• A LAN network spans over a small area like a small office or even a whole building.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

• The Internet consists of many LANS connected to each other.

Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of from your computer's hard drive.

Role of Computers in the Workplace

• Computers can do repetitive tasks faster and with fewer mistakes than humans.

Workplace culture

• Employees can telecommute with the aid of a computer

The Windows Operating System

• The OS controls the basic operations of your computer.

Common operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows
• Ubuntu
• Mac OS X
• iOS
• Android

Getting Started With Windows

• Logging on to your PC.

How to setup a new user account

1. Click on the Start Button on the Task bar.
2. Open the Control Panel and click on User Accounts.
3. Click on the Manage Accounts link to your left.

The Desktop

• The desktop is the work area where all the menus, windows, icons and files will appear so that you can access and work with them quickly.
  • The Taskbar: a rectangular bar located at the bottom of the desktop.

Components:

• The Start button
• Account Name
• Computer
• Documents
• Pictures
• Music
• All Programs Menu
• Search programs and files
• Recently Used Programs
• Help and Support
• Devices and Printers
• Control Panel
• Shut Down
• Run Command
• Display Desktop
• Notification Area

Objects:

• Files
• Shortcuts
• Containers

The Recycle Bin.

Tool tips.

Common Window Components

• Title bar
• Menu bar
• Toolbar/Quick Access Toolbar
• Control buttons
• Status bar

Controlling Multiple Opened Windows

How to start a programme

Support and Search Tools.

Adjusting PC Hardware and Software Properties

• Control Panel: helps you to adjust hardware and software settings on your PC.

Windows Explorer

• Option 1: Right-click on the Start button on the Taskbar to display the Shortcut menu and select Open Windows Explorer.
• Option 2: Click on the Start button follow the All Programs link, click on Accessories, click on the Windows Explorer link.

Structure:

• A Folder contains related files or images.
• A File is a document created by a user, stored within a folder.
  • Expansion and collapse arrows.

Moving or Copying Folders or Documents:

• Move
• Copy
• Undo Last Action

Renaming an Existing Folder

File and Folder Naming Rules

Working with Files

• Creating Shortcuts

Creating a Document in Windows

• Launching a programme
• Save a document for the first time